Operation Wildcat

Project Gift Box needs your help to make the holidays a little brighter for our students! Of the 364 gift card requests we received, there are still 262 left to be claimed. Please use this link https://www.timetosignup.com/operationwildcat/sheet/1364482 to sign up and fulfill these gift card requests for our families in need this holiday season!! All gifts need to be turned into the District Office by Wednesday, December 4th. Thank you very much for your kindness and generosity, and please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions. Raina Beckett, sommer034@yahoo.com, or Ann Marie Bolish, ambolish2013@gmail.com.

Friday, January 3, 2025

9am - 3pm

Mechanicsburg Middle School Lobby

As you are taking down your artificial Christmas tree after the holidays and wondering if you should keep it for next year, please consider donating it to Project Tannenbaum for our December, 2025 distribution! The trees should be delivered (in a box or bag) to the Mechanicsburg Middle School lobby on Friday, January 3, 2025 between 9am and 3pm. Any questions, please contact Patti Herring at 717-713-0617.

Over the years Project Furniture has delivered beds and furniture to hundreds of families in the District. We have a great core group of volunteers who give of their time to pick up donated items and deliver furniture to families in need.

We need to expand our list of volunteers and are looking for help to assist with:

• Picking up donated items from in and around the District using the Operation Wildcat 15 ft. box truck. All donated items are either in the garage or will be outside for pick up.
• Delivering beds/furniture to families in the District. All deliveries are ‘to the door’ as OW no longer goes into homes (for liability reasons).

Days and times of pick-ups and deliveries are flexible and based around the volunteers schedules. If you have a couple of hours to spare each month we can really use the help to continue our mission to help families in need.

If you would like to volunteer or would like more details call/text/email:

-Kaleb Dissinger- t34foru@yahoo.com

-Maureen Ross -717-773-1988/mmross4@comcast.net

Thank you to all who donated back to school items throughout the summer at various sites and businesses. Even though our back to school drive is over, OW will gladly accept donations year round at district buildings, preferably MMS. Thank you for all your support!

What Items are Still Needed?

Back to School Supplies (new): backpacks for high schoolers, earbuds, folders, notebooks (wide ruled) and notebook paper (wide ruled)

Calculators (new or gently used): Texas Instrument 34 & 83 models

Personal Items (new): Brushes, Chapstick, Conditioner, Deodorant, Shampoo, Shaving cream, Soap, Toothbrushes, Toothpaste, Underwear

Gift cards to Giant, Grocery Outlet, Wal-Mart and Target can also be donated.

Gift cards can be mailed to or dropped off at the district office c/o “Operation Wildcat”, MASD, 600 South Norway Street, Mechanicsburg PA 17055.

If you have a child in MASD and need help with back-to-school items, etc., please contact your child’s school counselor or nurse. All requests are kept confidential.

For more information on or to get involved in Operation Wildcat, please visit our website www.operationwildcat.org, our Facebook page or contact Leslie Collins, operationwildcatmasd@gmail.com

Project Books is looking for books with more diversity and ESL books. Graphic novels are also a big request, primarily from the 4th-5th grade level teachers. These books will be used to supplement classroom libraries. If you have any of these books, they can left in the OW bin at MMS (preferably), OW bin at any district building or contact the project chair Holly Anderson hrfrock@yahoo.com to make arrangements.

Please only donate new or slightly used clothing; do not donate any torn or stained clothing. We want clothing your children have outgrown, not outworn . Note: we accept only NEW socks and NEW underwear. To help us with sorting donations, please mark the bag on the outside. If possible, please leave donations at MMS.

• PJ sets: All sizes. Boys Girls Men's and Women's
• Boys size 7/8 8/10 Clothing
• Sneakers: all sizes but in particular Boys sneakers size 1 2 3, Girls sneakers 1 2 3
• Women's Juniors Winter clothing: Small and Medium sizes

• Sports Bras - all sizes
• Underwear - all sizes

• We would also welcome Christmas/Holiday theme clothing for our families to enjoy this coming season. All sizes kids to adults

Tall dressers in GOOD condition - not in need of repair/refinish (send picture please)

Items must be in good condition. If you have any of these items to donate, please contact Maureen at 717-773-1988, mmross4@comcast.net. Thank you for helping our families!

It's not spring : ), but OW is in desperate need of the following underwear sizes. We accept only NEW underwear. To help us with sorting donations, please mark the bag on the outside. If possible, please leave donations at MMS.

Boys 8/10, 10/12, 14/16, 16/18

Girls 5, 6, 8, 10

Juniors 5, 6, 7 lowrise, bikini and boyshort style

Mens S, M, L, XL

Sign up: https://www.timetosignup.com/operationwildcat/sheet/1353817/warehouse-help-february-june-2024

If we are going to continue holding the Yard Sale, we need help year round. It takes many hands to receive donations, organize, sort, price and skid the donations. All that the volunteer needs to do is accept donations at the warehouse. Instructions on what OW takes and where to place the donations will be posted at the warehouse, as will contact information for any questions. Students are welcomed! NOTE: In case of inclement weather the warehouse will be closed. Warehouse is located at 507 N. York Street, Mechanicsburg, 17055. Turn on to Pleasant View Drive - 1st left into parking lot to Dock Door 1.

Questions – call or email Maureen at 717-773-1988. The twice-yearly Yard Sales are OW’s only fundraiser – it can only continue with your help.

Address: 507 N York Street, Mechanicsburg 17055. Turn on to Pleasant View Drive. Make 1st left into parking lot- stay straight to dock door 1. Skids will be in the area of dock door #1. Donations are on a "no contact" basis with all boxes and containers being placed on the skids outside the warehouse. OW Warehouse is open most Saturdays and Sundays 1-3pm

At the present time(due to all the donations received and lack of space) we are NOT taking:

Clothing
artificial Christmas trees (contact Project Tannenbaum chair Patti Herring familyzeke@verizon.net to make arrangements)
canister vacuums/ floor steamers/cleaners

dehumidifiers

electrical fixtures that need to be installed (i.e. ceiling/wall lighting, ceiling fans)

exercise equipment
Glassware - cups/mugs- vases

Grills

Used Pillows (bed or decorative)

Skis/ski equipment
Stuffed animals

textbooks

old tv sets/old stereo equipment
VHS Tapes
and items that have seen their day and need to be disposed of!

If you have Furniture to donate please text or email pictures AHEAD OF TIME to mmross4@comcast.net, 717-773-1988, to ensure we have room at the warehouse and they are items needed/requested by our families.

A tax receipt if available for all donations.

If you have a question on whether or not we can take an item - contact Maureen at 717-773-1988, mmross4@comcast.net

PLEASE DO NOT DROP OFF DONATIONS WHEN THE OW WAREHOUSE IS NOT OPEN!

Our schools have a food program in which they provide food for kids to take home over the weekend. The program fills backpacks with food and then distributes the food from MMS and KA to the various elementary schools. Help is needed this school year on Thursdays during the day to transport the filled backpacks to the various schools. It interested, please contact Paul Bigham, pbigham@mbgsd.org .

Meetings of the Mechanicsburg Area School District Board of Directors are NOW recorded and livestreamed for transparency and increased public access. The livestream, along with recordings from previously held meetings, can be found at this link. https://www.youtube.com/@masdschoolboard